System and method for interfacing with a computer program

• US 20070117625A1
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Despande, Hrishikesh, Marks, Richard, Zalewski, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,062,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/211 using inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/213 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. cameras, photodiodes or infrared cells A63F13/219, A63F13/655 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/235 using a wireless connection, e.g. infrared or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/24 Constructional details thereof, e.g. game controllers with detachable joystick handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1006 having additional degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1087 comprising photodetecting means, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0325 using a plurality of light emitters or reflectors or a plurality of detectors forming a reference frame from which to derive the orientation of the object, e.g. by triangulation or on the basis of reference deformation in the picked up image
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

A method for triggering commands of a program executed on a computing system is provided. In this method, an interface object first is provided. One interface object is defined by an object coupled to a handle, whereby the handle includes an elongated member that is substantially perpendicular to a line extending from the object. Another interface object is coupled to a game controller. Another interface object is defined by a pair of spherical objects. The interface object then is placed within a field of view of an image capture device, and a change in position of the interface object within the field of view of the image capture device triggers an interfacing command at the program executed on the computing system. A system for triggering commands of a program also are described.

Claims

1. A method for triggering commands of a program executed on a computing system, comprising method operations of:

monitoring a field of view of an image capture device;

identifying an interface object within the field of view, the interface object being defined by a pair of spherical objects, the identified interface object being analyzed for change in position;

detecting the change in position of the interface object; and

triggering an interfacing command at the program executed on the computing system, the triggering being a result of the detected change in the interface object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an orientation of a pattern on a surface of the interface object to determine an orientation of the interface object relative to the image capture device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capture device tracks a color or a change in color, or a change in color intensity of the interface object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in position of the interface object is defined by the interface object moving relative to the image capture device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in position of the interface object is defined by the pair of spherical objects moving relative to each other.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the relative motion is defined by the pair of spherical objects moving toward each other from opposite directions.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the relative motion is defined by the pair of spherical objects moving away from each other in opposite directions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the interfacing command causes an object displayed on a display coupled to the computing system to be selected.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interfacing command causes an object displayed on a display coupled to the computing system to be moved.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a handle couples together the pair of spherical objects, the handle being configured to limit a hand holding the handle from blocking the pair of spherical objects from being viewed by the image capture device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a post couples together the pair of spherical objects to a controller.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the handle is coupled to a controller.

12. A method for triggering commands of a program executed on a computing system, comprising method operations of:

providing an interface object, the interface object being defined by an object coupled to a handle, the handle including an elongated member;

placing the interface object within a field of view of an image capture device; and

changing a position of the interface object within the field of view of the image capture device to trigger an interfacing command at the program executed on the computing system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the handle is configured to limit a hand holding the handle from blocking the object from being viewed by the image capture device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the interfacing command causes an object displayed on a display coupled to the computing system to be moved.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting one of a color, a change in color, a change in color intensity, or a change in brightness of the interface object to trigger the interfacing command at the program executed on the computing system.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the image capture device tracks or reacts to a color, a change in color, a change in color intensity, or a change in brightness of the interface object.

18. A system for triggering commands of a program executed on a computing system, comprising:

an image capture device;

the computing system in communication with the image capture device; and

an interface Object being configured to be placed within a field of view of the image capture device, the interface object being defied by an object attached to a handle, the handle including a first elongated member being substantially perpendicular to a line extending from the object and being configured to limit a hand holding the handle from blocking the object from being viewed by the image capture device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the handle includes:

the first elongated member; and

a second elongated member having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the first end being coupled to about a midpoint of the first elongated member, the second end being coupled to the object.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the handle is defined by a T shape.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the object is defined by one of a sphere, a dome, a half sphere, a cube, a pyramid, and a half cube.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein a surface of the object includes a pattern.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the computing system includes:

circuitry for monitoring the field of view of the image capture device;

circuitry for identifying the interface object within the field of view, the identified interface object being analyzed for change in position;

circuitry for detecting the change in position of the interface object; and

circuitry for triggering an interfacing command at the program executed on the computing system, the triggering being a result of the detected change in the interface object.

24. A game system, comprising:

an image capture device;

a computing system for interfacing with the image capture device; and

a game controller for interfacing with the computing system, the game controller capable of coupling with an interface object, the interface object including a post and a connector that interfaces with the controller, the interface object having a shape object connected to the post at an end that is opposite the connector of the post, the computing system being configured to view the shape object through analysis of image data obtained by the image capture device, the analysis of the image data being configured to trigger an interactive action by a computer program that is to execute on the computing system.

25. A game system as recited in claim 24, wherein the analysis of the image data identifies a change in spatial position of the shape object.

26. A game system as recited in claim 24, wherein the analysis of the image data identifies a change in color of the shape object.

27. A game system as recited in claim 24, wherein the analysis of the image data identifies a sound signal output at the shape object.

28. A game system as recited in claim 24, wherein the analysis of the image data identifies an intensity change in light emitted by the shape object.

29. A game system as recited in claim 24, wherein the interface object includes two or more shape objects, and a change in position of the two or more shape objects is detected in the analysis of the image data, which causes one or more actions to be trigged by the computer program.

30. A game system as recited in claim 24, wherein the interface object includes three shape objects, and a change in spatial position of the controller causes a detection of one or all of tilt, yaw and roll of the controller, and the detection is processed by the computing system as driven by the computer program.

31. A game system as recited in claim 24, wherein the connector is capable of interfacing signals between the shape object and the controller.

32. A game system as recited in claim 24 wherein the connector is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector.

33. A game system as recited in claim 31, wherein a circuit is integrated into the shape object.

34. A game system as recited in claim 33, wherein the circuit is coupled to light emitting devices.

35. A game system as recited in claim 24, wherein the interface object is coupled to a clamping mold that clips to a face of the controller.

36. A game system as recited in claim 25, wherein a connector for communicating signals between the interface object and the controller is provided in the clamping mold.

37. A game controller, comprising:

a game controller for interfacing with a computing system, the game controller capable of coupling with an interface object, the interface object including a post and a connector that interfaces with the controller, the interface object having a shape object connected to the post at an end that is opposite the connector of the post, the computing system having a capture device is configured to view the shape object, and analysis of image data from the capture device is configured to trigger an interactive action by a computer program that is to execute on the computing system.

38. A game controller as recited in claim 37, wherein the analysis of the image data identifies a change in spatial position of the shape object.

39. A game controller as recited in claim 37, wherein the analysis of the image data identifies a change in color of the shape object.

40. A game controller as recited in claim 37, wherein the analysis of the image data identifies an intensity change in light emitted by the shape object.

41. A game controller as recited in claim 37, wherein the interface object includes two or more shape objects, and a change in position of the two or more shape objects is detected in the analysis of the image data, which causes one or more actions to be trigged by the computer program.

42. A game controller, comprising:

a body capable of having a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being conformable for handling by a left and right hand of a human user;

a post having a first end and a second end, the first end having a connector for coupling to the body between the first side and the second side;

a shape object connected to the second end of the post, the shape object capable of being recognized for either one or both of its spatial position and light intensity by an image capture device when the body is handled by the human user.

43. A game controller as recited in claim 42, wherein the connector enables signals to communicate between the shape object and the body of the game controller.